


Can't Help Falling in Love

by anachronicwriting (SougiyaRidoru)



Category: SHINee
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 23:08:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15254085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SougiyaRidoru/pseuds/anachronicwriting
Summary: Taemin had seen him sit there since mid-afternoon with a bouquet, if the small bundle of flowers could even be called that, he was obviously waiting for someone.





	Can't Help Falling in Love

It has been 15 minutes since closing time, Taemin is halfway through clearing up tables.

He has to wake him up.

But he looks so tired, he can't bring himself to actually do it.

Taemin had seen him sit there since mid-afternoon with a bouquet, if the small bundle of flowers could even be called that, he was obviously waiting for someone.

Someone who never showed up, it seems.

He would have kicked him out without a second thought had it been a stranger, but Kibum has been a regular since before Taemin started working here, and Taemin feels bad enough already that he got stood up.  
But mainly he doesn't want to deal with Kibum being embarrassed.

So sue him, he is awkward.

He carries on cleaning the tables and mopping the floor, but Kibum doesn't wake up.

When he is done cleaning, he drops into the seat of the booth in front of Kibum, leaning his back onto the window and stretching his legs over it, fiddling with his hands while he waits.

There is something peaceful about the empty café, with the lights dimmed and the silence only broken by Kibum's steady breaths.

Taemin takes out his phone and passes the time mindlessly playing a game, wondering if he should wait, or just wake him up.

The choice gets taken out of his hands when Kibum wakes up, maybe ten minutes after Taemin sat down, dragging a hand over his face. He looks around for a moment before his gaze falls on Taemin's face.

"How long was I out for?"

Taemin glanced down at his phone, "about three hours, I think."

Kibum groans, and buries his head into his folded arms on top of the table.

Taemin gets up, grinning at the elder’s gesture, and starts fixing them both a coffee.

"I can't believe you actually got flowers." He says as he places the cup in front of Kibum, and sits in front of him.  
"You are so old fashioned Hyung."

"Should you even be giving out free drinks?" He asks with a scowl.

"I put it on your tab." He doesn't think Jinki would mind even if he hadn't.

"Yah! Lee Taemin!"

Taemin laughs.

Kibum gives him an exasperated look, but sips his coffee gratefully anyway. "Next time you are buying."

They fall silent, and Taemin starts playing with the ribbon tying the flowers together.  
He can feel Kibum's eyes on him, but he doesn't say anything.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asks after a while; they aren't close friends, not really, but they have been seeing each other almost every day for the last two years. Kibum can be mean sometimes, but Taemin appreciates his sense of humour, and the fact that he hardly ever takes offense to anything Taemin has said to him.  
He makes Taemin feel comfortable, something he can't say about a lot of people.

"I wasn't really expecting much from this." He mumbles in response, chin resting on his palm as he watches Taemin. "But I would have appreciated a call." He laughs, humourless.

“If you try this hard for not expecting much, I dread what you would do if you were trying.” Taemin deadpans.

“You don’t pull your punches do you?” Kibum says laughing, a real one this time, the one that makes his face look softer.

“You love me for it.” Taemin answers, leaning back into the seat and stretching.

Kibum doesn’t answer, so Taemin takes that as agreement.

“It’s getting late.” Kibum says after draining the last of the coffee from his cup and looking at his phone. Taemin takes the empty cups to the sink behind the counter, he’ll blame Kibum if he gets in trouble for not washing them.

The air is cold as they step out the door.

"Will you be able to catch the train?" Kibum says after Taemin closes up.

"I don't live that far." Taemin answers. "I'll walk.”

"Let me drive you. It’s too late and too cold to be walking around." Kibum says, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "Least that I can do."

"Okay." Taemin answers without hesitation; he will not turn down a free ride.

Kibum smiles, and it’s hard not to smile back, as he follows Kibum to his car.

"May I?" Taemin asks, hand hovering over the car radio.

"Sure." Kibum shrugs, as they move forward into traffic.

An old song Taemin is sure he has heard before, but doesn’t know the name of, starts playing; it’s soft and sweet.

“I love this song.” Kibum says.

Taemin loves the way Kibum hums along to the song, mumbling some of the lyrics, and he finds himself transfixed, all his attention focused on him.  
Kibum turns to look at him, when they stop at a red light.

“What?” He asks.

“Nothing, I just… I like this song too.” Taemin answers looking away.

Kibum laughs, and turns back to look at the road as the light turns. “You are weird.”

They spend the rest of the ride in a comfortable silence, only broken by Taemin giving Kibum indications of where to go every once in a while.

“Here we are.” Kibum says as the car stops.

“Thanks.” Taemin says, but doesn’t move to get out of the car, he doesn't want to leave things like this. "Hey, about buying you that drink."

"You don't hav-"

"How about next friday?" He asks, interrupting Kibum, he doesn't dare to look at him.

Kibum is quiet for a moment; Taemin is about to take it back, but Kibum says, "okay." Before he can.

Taemin turns to look at him then, and Kibum has that soft smile on his face that makes Taemin feel giddy.

"Really?" He blurts out, before he can stop himself.

"Of course." Kibum chuckles. "Meet you at the café?"

"I get out at five."

"I'll be there. You better impress me." Kibum teases.

"You won't even know what hit you."

"That sounds vaguely threatening."

"If I stand you up, you know where to find me."

"If you stand me up, that is the last thing you will ever do." Kibum says with a serious tone, but he is smiling.

Taemin laughs. "I'll see you tomorrow." He says, getting out of the car.  
He knows he is smiling like an idiot, but he can't bring himself to care, waving Kibum good-bye as he drives off.

**Author's Note:**

> Also posted on my [tumblr](https://anachronicwriting.tumblr.com/post/175786377397/cant-help-falling-in-love)


End file.
